Slate Culture Feed

Latest Episodes:

Hit Parade: Taylor’s Version of Country, Part 1 Apr 17, 2021

Show notes

Taylor Swift’s new album is a reboot of an old album: Fearless, her 2008 chart-topping juggernaut that made her the biggest star on the Billboard charts. But Fearless (Taylor’s Version)—filled with banjos, steel guitars and fiddles—is also a reminder for those who forgot: Swift was once the top act in country music, too. From Dolly Parton to Shania Twain, the Chicks to Faith Hill, no country artist has ever crossed over to pop the way Taylor did, utterly dominating one genre before she took over another.

In this episode, Chris Molanphy focuses on Taylor: the country years, dissecting how she gradually, step by step, became the new queen of pop one irresistible song at a time. She went from interviewing bigger stars on MTV’s red carpet one year, to being the talk of the Video Music Awards the next—even before Kanye took that microphone away from her. He told Taylor he would let her finish, but the game was already over. Swift had the most played song in the USA.

Podcast production by Asha Saluja, with help from Rosemary Belson.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Spoiler Specials: Godzilla vs. Kong Apr 16, 2021

Show notes

On the Spoiler Special podcast, Slate critics discuss movies, the occasional TV show, and, once in a blue moon, another podcast, in full spoiler-filled detail. This week, Slate’s senior editor Allegra Frank is joined by Brow Beat nights and weekends editor at Slate, Matthew Dessem, to spoil Godzilla vs. Kong, the new action-packed sci-fi movie from director Adam Wingard.

Kong and his protectors go on a perilous journey to find his true home but soon find themselves in the path of an enraged Godzilla as he cuts a swath of destruction across the globe. But the initial confrontation between the two titans is only the beginning of the deeper mystery that lies within the center of the earth.

Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore.

Email us at spoilers@slate.com.

Podcast production by Morgan Flannery.

Hosts

Allegra Frank is a Senior Editor at Slate.

Matthew Dessem isSlate’s Brow Beat’s nights and weekends editor

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

ICYMI: A Vaccine Is Not a Personality Apr 14, 2021

Show notes

On this episode, Rachelle Hampton and Madison Malone Kircher look at the way the COVID vaccines have seemed to develop online personalities. They discuss how the memes and merch inspired by Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson can actually encourage vaccine hesitancy—which is all the more disappointing since there are actually some pretty informative TikToks out there about COVID-19. Next, they speak to a few Slatesters who might not have purchased vaxx merch but definitely made their own reckless online purchases, by buying things through targeted Instagram ads. Do these impulse buys ever bring us the joy we think they will?

Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.

Support ICYMI and listen to the show with zero ads. Sign up to become a Slate Plus member for just $1 for your first month.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Culture Gabfest: Sleeps With the Fishes Apr 14, 2021

Show notes

This week Steve is joined by Slate senior editor Allegra Frank and writer/editor Dan Kois. The group first dives into the What Lies Below, the wild No. 1 movie on Netflix. Next, they discuss the Netflix series Worn Stories. Finally, the panel is joined by Slate music critic Carl Wilson to talk about Prince’s vault of unreleased music, as covered in Sunday's episode of 60 Minutes.

In Slate Plus, the panel talks about how their parents influenced their music taste.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.

Email the hosts at culturefest@slate.com

Endorsements

Dan: Lonesome Doveby Larry McMurtry

Allegra: serpentwithfeet’s DEACON

Steve: “Averted Intimacies” by Elaine Blair in the New York Review

Slate Plus members get a bonus segment in each episode of the Culture Gabfest and access to exclusive shows like Dana Stevens’ classic movies podcast Flashback. Sign up now to listen and support our work.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Slate Money: Movies: Working Girl Apr 13, 2021

Show notes

Welcome to Slate Money Goes to the Movies, a miniseries in which Felix Salmon, Anna Szymanski, and a different guest each week discuss popular business-themed movies.

For the season finale, Jolie Hunt, CEO of Hunt & Gather, joins Felix Salmon and Anna Szymanski to talk about the 80s classic Working Girl. They discuss the class dynamics at play, the actual business taking place in the film, and what makes it such an enjoyable fairytale.

Email: slatemoney@slate.com

Podcast production by Jessamine Molli.

Twitter: @felixsalmon, @Three_Guineas

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Working: What Healthcare Workers Can Teach Us About Creativity Apr 11, 2021

Show notes

This week host Isaac Butler talks to Anthony Fortenberry, chief nursing officer at Callen-Lorde Community Health Center, which has been serving the LGBTQ community in New York City for decades. In the interview, Anthony talks about all the creative challenges he and his staff have faced over the past year, from converting a hotel into a quarantine facility to making sure vulnerable people have access to vaccines. He also talks about the importance of flexibility and explains why managers need to model the behavior they advocate.

After the interview, Isaac and co-host June Thomas reflect on some of Anthony’s creative wisdom.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Anthony talks about his cultural interests and some of the high points of his job.

Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to working@slate.com or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews.

If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now to help support our work.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

ICYMI: Everything Is Tumblr Now Apr 10, 2021

Show notes

In this episode, Rachelle Hampton and Madison Malone Kircher start with a couple of High Speed Downloads: Madison summarizes the latest online drama surrounding self-help guru Rachel Hollis (featuring Harriet Tubman), and Rachelle chronicles the Kardashian fury that was unleashed after somebody posted an untouched-up photo of Khloe. Then, for their main segment, they speak with Dion Beary, a writer and online community builder who founded the Tumblr blog This Is White Privilege. They talk with Beary about where that blog began, its impact on online discourse, and why he stepped away.

Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.

Support ICYMI and listen to the show with zero ads. Sign up to become a Slate Plus member for just $1 for your first month.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Culture Gabfest: What's Love Got to Do With It? Apr 07, 2021

Show notes

This week Steve and Dana are joined by Slate senior editor Allegra Frank. First the hosts discuss the Oscar contender Judas and the Black Messiah and the performances of its two stars, Daniel Kaluuya and Lakeith Stanfield. Then pop critic and UVA professor Jack Hamilton joins the show to offer his thoughts on Tina, the new documentary about the life of rock n' roll icon Tina Turner. After that, the hosts talk to Slate writer Rebecca Onion about her re-examination of The Beauty Myth, a modern feminist classic with an increasingly controversial author.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Steve, Dana, and Allegra talk about being evangelists for the art they like and discuss whether pushing your cultural taste on other people is a good or bad practice.

Outro music: "Death Dance" by Luftmensch

Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Rachael Allen.

Email the hosts at culturefest@slate.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

ICYMI: Every Generation Has Its Cringe Apr 07, 2021

Show notes

On this episode, Rachelle Hampton and Madison Malone Kircher report from the latest front in the battle between millennials and Gen Z: the use of reaction GIFs. First, they trace this conflict back to its origins in skirmishes over middle parts and skinny jeans. Then they speak to culture writer Jenny G. Zhang, who recently encountered the fury of thirtysomethings scorned when she tweeted about what using reaction GIFs says about your age.

Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John.

Support ICYMI and listen to the show with zero ads. Sign up to become a Slate Plus member for just $1 for your first month.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Slate Money: Movies: Margin Call Apr 06, 2021

Show notes

Welcome to Slate Money Goes to the Movies, a miniseries in which Felix Salmon, Anna Szymanski, and a different guest each week discuss popular business-themed movies.

Lizzie O'Leary, host of Slate’s What Next TBD, joins to talk about Margin Call, the 2011 drama about the financial crisis. They’ll talk about how realistic the film is, the nuanced depiction of the people behind the crisis, and Lizzie’s experience as a political reporter covering the real thing.

Email: slatemoney@slate.com

Podcast production by Jessamine Molli.

Twitter: @felixsalmon, @Three_Guineas

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected